Pinnacle Laterite 1

£420 › Certainly not the cheapest feeling bike on test

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At this cut-throat price level, every pound counts when putting a bike together. That means it might sound like a suicide mission submitting a bike that’s 16 per cent cheaper than the most expensive option here. Having tested the £500 Laterite 2, we reckoned the entry level version could hold its own, and the sorted all-round ride proved us right. The fact it leaves you with cash for a helmet, shoes, pedals, shorts and so on means your overall ride experience is likely to be even better. The Laterite 1 seems determined to impress straight away with a prompt and encouraging response to whatever pressure you put through the pedals. That’s a definite nod to the frame design as the wheels are the heaviest here for a rim-braked bike. Overall weight is good, which again suggests a quality frame.